gone for good

Well - the silky in this picture is gone for good. Not on purpose. Earlier this week we lost it at Walmart. By we, I mean Caleigh dropped it at some point and I didn't realize it until we were getting in the car. By that point, Andrew was screaming and Caleigh was whining and there was no way I could take them both back out of their carseats to go back in and look for it.

Despite Adam leaving work to go and search for it and despite calling Walmart several times for a couple of days, it was never found. So somebody out there is enjoying a little purple silky with the initials CGD in it. And Caleigh keeps asking for "other silky." She will cuddle up with her big one and then say, "Mama, other silky." So now Caleigh is getting a new silky for her birthday/early Christmas and hopefully she will take to it just as well. I guess it lasted us for 2 years - besides, when I was asking one of the employees at Walmart about it she said "it probably got swept up in the giant sweepers" - that is not what I think happened to it, but still - would I really want to find it after something like that? Probably not. So sad for Caleigh (and Mama!).

a visit with the greats

Last Sunday, Caleigh and Andrew's great grandparents were in town and came to see us after church. (They couldn't wait until Thanksgiving to see their great grandbabies). Here is great grandpa Jack holding Andrew - this is Andrew's namesake!

I actually think they look a lot alike! I don't know what that means for my 5 month old if I think he looks like an 88 year old man but Great Grandpa thought it was awesome that they looked alike and talked about it pretty much the entire week. Look at Andrew in his little button-up shirt - my little A is getting big! Great Grandma Mary Jane got some love from little A too - this was the first time they met Andrew in person. And attempting a picture with both kids - very difficult on a Sunday at 1 pm, but it looks cute enough!

elmo party!

On Saturday (before Caleigh's birthday which was on Thanksgiving Day this year) we celebrated Caleigh's 2nd birthday with her 2 or almost 2 year old friends. We had a playdoh party with an Elmo theme. Here are Camilla, Sam, and Caleigh playing with some playdoh.

After the playdoh fun died down, it was time for Elmo cupcakes - Elmo paper, yellow cake, chocolate icing, Elmo candy, and a sparkly candle for Caleigh! Happy Birthday to Caleigh... (she LOVED us singing to her and we sang to her many times that day - when she woke up in the morning, before and after her nap, at her party, before dinner...) Mmmm... And Caleigh's friends who celebrated with us that day - Sam (who also almost broke my heart when he left at the end saying, "I want to come next time..." but next time Caleigh has a birthday Sam will be in Prague helping his parents and baby Foard plant a church) Harrison Maggie and Camilla After cupcakes and snacks we opened presents.

Caleigh is giving Milla a hug saying 'And you' (thank you) for her presents... All the moms were there (and baby Foard) And Daddy helped open the presents. Caleigh is sporting her loot - a new dress from Maggie (that Carrie made!) and a purse. Thanks to all of Caleigh's friends who celebrated with her to make her birthday extra special!

little helper

This is how Caleigh likes to help me fold the clothes - by taking them all out of the piles and dressing herself with them. (note the layers on her legs)

Oh, and there are the bows again...

sesame street live!

While we were in the country, Gammy and Bam-pa took Caleigh to see Sesame Street Live! I was really so excited for Caleigh to get to go and see it - she loves Elmo. Before we left to go out of town we went to get Caleigh a special Elmo shirt to wear to the show.

The show was called, "Elmo's Green Thumb" Caleigh even got a special little stuffed Elmo as a treat! It looked and sounded like she had so much fun - makes me wish I could have been there - but I know it was an extra special time with her Bam-pa and her Gammy - thanks y'all for taking her!

a little too quiet

You know how you get that feeling when it is a little too quiet in the house (ie - you know your two year old is getting into something that she thinks she isn't supposed too). I had that feeling last week and when I walked into our bedroom this is what I found.

She was typing away on the computer - my sweet little studious girl.

2 little monkeys, sitting on the bed...

The other day I put Andrew on Caleigh's bed for tummy time since Caleigh and I were playing on the floor in her room. I went out for a minute to put the clothes in the dryer and when I came back I saw that Caleigh has climbed into her bed and sat down right next to Andrew and was reading her bible (to him?).

Andrew was very interested in what she was doing.

4 hole swamp

Last weekend we headed down to 'the country' to celebrate all that is redneck - camo-wearin', cornholin', deer huntin', 4 wheelin', skeet shootin', porch-sittin', and the like. We intended to go to celebrate the Hunts and spend some time with them before they leave for Prague - but at the last minute we had a change of plans and the Kulps, Dirks, and the Dyers ended up celebrating without them. First time seeing Adam in camo and a trucker hat -

I was laughing so hard I was crying when I saw Tyler in his jacket - I think it is the camo version of an old ladies leopard print fleece... hilarious... On Friday night after the guys took an unsuccessful trip deer hunting we hung out and ate some chili, played some cornhole, some Settlers, and celebrated Adam's birthday which was the day before (Nov. 12). Sorry Carrie - this is not the best picture but it shows the hilarious corn candle we put in the cake. On Saturday morning we got ready to play outside... We shot some skeet... The girls went 4 wheelin' through the mud at 4 hole swamp... And stopped for a classic self time shot in this deer stand... We did manage to get stuck in the mud once while on the 4 wheeler - but we put our heads together and figured out an ingenious way to get out of that sticky situation. I also learned to drive the 4 wheeler! After a roaring start (Carrie almost flew off the back!) I figured it out and had a great time! We came back to find little A was partaking in some cornhole action. This picture is awesome T Dirks - it makes me want to sing, "this land is my land, this land is your land..." And I shot a gun for the first time ever! I shot down the skeet on the 3rd try - thanks to all that practice playing duck hunt in the old days. Group picture - We had such a great time and hope to truly celebrate with the Hunts in January. It was a weekend of firsts for me though - first time I wore camo, first time I shot a gun, first time I drove a 4 wheeler... Praise the Lord for great friends and the Lord's beautiful creation that we got to enjoy!

solids - finally...

We starting trying solids at 4 months with Andrew because he was so hungry! Up until 4 months Andrew was doing well nursing only and eating about 5 times a day (a good schedule of 8, 11, 2, 5, 9). Starting at 4 months Andrew got the 45 minutes intruder and it lasted for a whole month! So the last 4-5 weeks have been tough for us. He got to the point where he was nursing 6 to 7 times a day (every 2 hours) - and he really wouldn't sleep. We knew he was hungry but my milk supply was still good, so we stuck with nursing and tried offering him solids. He hated them. For 4 weeks I made solids and danced around in front of his face like a crazy person to try to get him to open his mouth and accept them. He wouldn't. And when I would finally get a smile out of him I would jam that nasty rice cereal in his mouth... which he would promptly spit back out. It got to the point where he didn't even want to get in his high chair because he knew he didn't want to eat that stuff.

"Look Mom - this is my mad face which means I don't like this stuff... hence the reason I have spit it out all over myself." But I guess I know I am still cute... So good news to report - 2 days after Andrew turned 5 months old he finally started accepting solids. I gave up on the rice cereal - I mean it really is so nasty and I made him some sweet potatoes (can't believe we are already back to making baby food again). He loved the sweet potatoes! Basically starting on the same day he accepted solids, he also started taking really good naps again. All I can say is... finally! I think it was a coincidence that both things started going better on the same day. I am so glad those last 5 weeks are behind us and am excited (and not excited at the same time - oh the hassle of baby food) to be starting this new phase. Here's to hoping this becomes a trend.

bampa has his hands full

And they are both sucking their thumbs - Cals with the right thumb and Andrew with his left.

trick or treating

It is hard to get an elephant to look at the camera!

On Saturday, in keeping with our yearly tradition, both of our families and some friends came over around 5 pm for some early trick or treating, followed by chili with our families. We had a great time despite the rain that forced us inside after about 10 houses (better than the 3 houses we got in last year!). Caleigh went to one house, got a lollipop (darn that bright shiny colorful candy - Caleigh, go for the candy in brown wrappers next time!), and promptly sat down in the grass and prepared to eat it. A little lion accompanied us on our journey. He was about the happiest little fella that night - he had all of his favorite things: a full tummy, a warm outfit, someone carrying him, he was around lots of people, and the person carrying him was walking the whole time. He loved it and did great. A family shot in the rain. An attempted picture of all the kids (minus the 3rd lion, Andrew - we didn't trust any of the other lions to keep him safe). Thanks Aulls and Dirks for trick or treating with us! You can see how Caleigh is burning with envy over the little car that Harrison is riding in - she wanted in it the whole night! Caleigh did enjoy a wagon ride with her favorite friend Maggie. And a group shot - a surprising number of people and kids are actually looking at the camera! And Caleigh is in the car. Hilarious.